Hypertension in middle-age

New research shows that people who suffer from hypertension in middle-age may be more susceptible to dementia later in life.

The link between hypertension and dementia

People between 54 and 63 with elevated blood pressure that then experience low blood pressure later in life have an increased risk of dementia. Middle-aged people who took medicine to control hypertension and then experienced late-life blood pressure dips also had a higher likelihood of dementia.

"Persistent or untreated hypertension, for example, can lead to abnormalities in the arteries that deliver blood to the brain." Keenan Walker The 24-year study also showed that mid-life hypertension followed by late-life low blood pressure was also linked to mild cognitive impairment.

According to UPI, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that more than five million Americans live with Alzheimer's.